Researchers at Karolinska Institutet used DNA origami to activate the Notch receptor in a new way, revealing it can be activated 'on demand' with the help of a protein called Jag1. The study opens new avenues for understanding the Notch signalling pathway and its role in serious diseases like cancer and Alagille Syndrome.
Researchers have created a drug-like cocktail that successfully regenerated hair cells in a mouse model by reprogramming genetic pathways within the inner ear. The approach could lead to clinical trials for a gene therapy that can be administered to people with hearing loss, potentially treating up to 90% of cases.
Researchers at Osaka University identified T-cadherin as a factor that feeds back a lack of insulin to pancreatic β cells, inducing their proliferation. This finding suggests a potential new treatment for diabetes by targeting T-cadherin.
Researchers at RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology identified Nedd4 as a key player in protecting the Notch receptor from activation. The study found that Nedd4 works as an antagonist of Notch signaling, suppressing its activity and preventing molecular loose cannons from fouling the precisely ordered workplan.